


The Business Professor

by evilwriter37



Series: Scholar’s Mate [1]
Category: DreamWorks Dragons (Cartoon), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Chess, College, College AU, First Meeting, M/M, Modern AU, chess club, professor/student
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 19:14:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19874668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilwriter37/pseuds/evilwriter37
Summary: Hiccup has been in college for a few weeks when Fishlegs asks him to go to the chess club. There, he meets the business professor and is instantly enamored with him.





	The Business Professor

Hiccup was having dinner in the college’s dining hall when Fishlegs slid into the booth next to him and asked if he wanted to go to the chess club with him.

“It’s tonight?” Hiccup asked. As he did, he noticed more of his friends come through the door, as they’d agreed to meet up for dinner, and he waved to catch their attention. Astrid, at the head of the group, noticed him first, then made a gesture to the buffet to signal that they were going to get food first. Hiccup nodded.

“Yeah, it’s tonight,” Fishlegs answered. He put a fry in his mouth, made a face.

“Too salty?”

Fishlegs nodded, but chewed and swallowed it anyway, and reached for another one. Hiccup was eating his too. If they were the only fries he was going to get, he’d take it. College dining hall food wasn’t exactly glamorous. For the first week it had been pretty okay, but it had just gone downhill at the start of the second week. It was the third week and, well, Hiccup had yet to check out any clubs. He and all his friends were freshman, so college life was very new to them.

“So what time?” Hiccup asked. He had some homework to do, but he didn’t really want to turn this down. It’d been a little while since he’d played chess, and he always enjoyed a game with Fishlegs.

“Nine.”

“Isn’t that kind of late?”

Fishlegs shrugged. “Said in the email that the professor who runs it has a night class that ends around that time, so that’s when it starts.”

“Who’s the professor?” Hiccup asked.

Fishlegs pulled his phone from his pocket, opened his email to check. “Um… Don’t think you’d know him. Business professor.”

“Name?” Hiccup reached for his soda. Being an engineering major and doing some of his core classes, he highly doubted he’d know him, but better to know his name than not.

“Professor Grimborn.”

Hiccup spit his soda back into his cup in utter surprise. “What kind of name is that?!”

“What name?” Tuffnut asked, moving into the booth across from Hiccup and Fishlegs. His sister Ruffnut joined him on that side, and so did Astrid. Snotlout sat next to Fishlegs.

“Grimborn,” Fishlegs answered. “He’s a business professor here.”

Snotlout snorted. “No way that’s his real name.”

“Yeah,” Tuffnut agreed. “Way too cool to be a professor’s name. Sounds more like some metal rock star last name. Ooh, wait, a cooler name would be Grimdeath, or Grimskull!”

“He probably changed it,” Ruffnut said. “Must have had something lame like…” She paused, thinking. “Glasscock or Dinkle.” Both she and Tuffnut burst into laughter. Being twins, they always seemed to find the same things humorous. 

“Why are we talking about him?” Astrid asked, ignoring the speculation and joking about his name. “None of us are business majors.”

“He heads the chess club,” Fishlegs answered. “Hiccup and I were gonna go tonight. Anyone else wanna join?”

“Chess?” Snotlout asked incredulously. “Count me out. Tuff and I have better things to do.” He and Tuffnut were boyfriends, so of course when it had come to choosing roommates, they’d chosen each other. Most of their evening activities, they did as a couple.

“Sorry. You know that’s not really my thing,” Astrid declined. “Was gonna talk to Heather tonight. I’m really starting to miss her.”

Snotlout opened his mouth, but Astrid beat him to it, pointing a finger at him. “And don’t you dare joke about me actually having feelings. She’s my girlfriend. What else am I supposed to do?”

“Um, let me have a go at her,” Ruffnut said. “Obviously.”

“Ruffnut!” Astrid exclaimed.

“What? Roommates share,” Ruffnut said with a shrug.

“Not girlfriends!” Astrid cried.

“You sure?” Tuffnut asked. “Though, it’s not like we can ask Hiccup or Fishlegs about it. Single guy roommates forever, am I right?”

“Oh, come on, guys,” Hiccup said. “I’ll find someone eventually. And so will Fishlegs.”

“You say that with  _ way  _ too much confidence,” Snotlout said. “Honestly, just give up and start dating each other. Hicclegs forever, am I right?”

“Please don’t ship us.” There was a whine in Fishlegs’ voice. “It’s weird.”

“What?” Ruffnut asked. “Best buddy buddies forever? It’s gonna turn gay.”

“It is  _ not _ ,” Hiccup stated. He was out as bisexual, so he didn’t mind the implication of himself being in a homosexual relationship, but he didn’t want it to be with Fishlegs. They were just really good friends, and the idea of anything else clearly made Fishlegs uncomfortable. “Look, I’m not focused on getting a relationship right now. We just started college, and I want to focus on doing well and taking part in things on campus and all that. When it happens, it happens.”

Astrid gave their friends a pointed look. “They do say it happens when you’re not looking for it.”

Ruffnut ruined that moment. “So, if I actively think of  _ not  _ getting dicked down, it’ll happen?”

Everyone just sighed.

  
  


The club meeting was held in the lounge of one of the academic buildings. Hiccup and Fishlegs were a little late, so there were already games going when they got there.

“Wanna just play together?” Fishlegs asked. He probably would have asked anyway even if there were people free. He had social anxiety, so meeting new people wasn’t easy for him. 

“Sure.” They found a free board and pieces in a box stacked with others at the end of the big table, and settled down across two couches and a coffee table to play. Fishlegs took white and Hiccup took black.

They talked about classes while they played. Hiccup had a lot of homework in his beginning engineering class, but he wanted to be here instead. He glanced over at who he assumed was Professor Grimborn. He was the oldest in the room. He was directing two students who must have been beginners at the game, standing with his hands folded behind his back unless he had to point something out on the board. He had a dark, neatly trimmed mustache and beard, and close-cropped hair. His eyes were a deep, cocoa color. From here his voice was just a low rumble. He appeared to be in his late 30s or early 40s.

“If the twins were here they’d definitely ask him about his last name,” Hiccup said, nodding his head towards Professor Grimborn. Fishlegs glanced over his shoulder at him.

“And you don’t want to?” Fishlegs asked, returning to the game.

“I do,” Hiccup said. “It’s just rude. He’s a professor! I don’t even know him!”

“Some professors are really chill. Let their students call them by their first name and everything. My English 101 professor is like that.”

“Does he look  _ chill _ to you?” Hiccup asked.

Fishlegs looked at him again. “No, no not really,” he decided. “He makes me nervous actually.”

“Everything makes you nervous.” Hiccup didn’t mean it as a jab, just that he wasn’t sure why this was different from any other time.

Fishlegs shrugged. “He just has this… demeanor. It’s intimidating.”

Hiccup shrugged too. “I like it.” It was indeed an intimidating, commanding demeanor that the professor had, but Hiccup liked something about it. It was like he was tempting people to challenge him, but Hiccup couldn’t tell if it was intellectually or authoritatively. Maybe it was both.

The two continued playing, Hiccup setting up an intricate trap that Fishlegs didn’t seem to realize. He got so engrossed in the game and trying to win that he didn’t notice when the professor came over. He jumped at the sound of his voice.

“Noah’s Ark Trap. Impressive.”

He had a crisp British accent, his tone of voice currently appraising.

Fishlegs took a closer look at the board.

“Oh, come on, Hiccup!”

Hiccup laughed lightly. “Just trying to win,” he said, spreading his hands.

“Hiccup. That’s an interesting name.” The professor tilted his head.

“Guess my mom had a sense of humor,” Hiccup answered, trying not to feel embarrassed. “Apparently she wouldn’t stop getting the hiccups when she was pregnant with me.”

“I see.” The professor smiled a little. He leaned over, studied the board some more. Hiccup could smell his cologne. It was the scent of lavender and rich wood. It was good and strong in his nostrils. “Hm, good job, Hiccup. Looks like you’ll have your friend in only two more moves.”

Fishlegs snorted. “He’s not that close to beating me?”

Professor Grimborn straightened, smiling with his teeth. “Why don’t you make a move and find out?”

Hiccup’s palms began to sweat with Professor Grimborn watching him. He didn’t know why. But, just as he said, in two moves, the game was finished.

“Smart strategy,” he commented. He gestured to the board, looking to Fishlegs. “Mind if I steal your friend for a game?”

“Not at all.” Fishlegs moved to sit beside Hiccup on the couch, and Professor Grimborn sat beside him. Hiccup took the time to notice his clothes. He was wearing a purple, button-up shirt that looked to be made of silk, a black tie, and black dress pants. Everything about him was neat and purposeful. 

Hiccup helped to put the pieces back in their starting positions. His hand brushed the professor’s and his heart began to race. He liked him alright. But… not in that way. He was just intrigued in him. 

Professor Grimborn made the first move, as he was playing white. He was watching the board carefully, brows knit in thought, lips pursed. Hiccup ended up looking at his face more than the board as he made his move.

_ Okay, focus!  _ he berated himself. His palms were only sweating from nerves at playing a game with an intelligent-looking professor, not for any other reason.

He moved a pawn, beginning to set up a trap. Professor Grimborn moved one of his own, most likely also setting up a trap, but it was too soon to tell.

“Professor Grimborn,” Hiccup started. “Why do you run the chess club if you’re a business professor?”

“Because business is also about strategy,” he answered. “Besides, I like the game.” He watched Hiccup make a move, then made one of his own. “Oh, and you may call me Viggo.”

_ Viggo. Viggo Grimborn. Fuck, that’s a cool name.  _ Hiccup was more and more impressed by this man by the minute.  _ Maybe I should have taken business. _

The game continued without much talking, which Hiccup thought was a shame given that he liked Viggo’s voice. It was rich and smooth, and sometimes when it went into the lower tenor it would rumble. Well, at least he got to watch the intelligence behind his eyes, the way he thought. 

It was too late by the time Hiccup realized Viggo’s trap, but he tried to avoid it anyway. It didn’t matter. Viggo won.

_ Dammit.  _ Hiccup had wanted to impress him.

“Good game, Hiccup,” Viggo complimented, and it sounded genuine. “Most people don’t last so long with me.” There was a sly smile on his lips as if he’d just made a joke, but Hiccup couldn’t grasp what it was.

“Oh, uh, thank you.” Knowing that he  _ had _ actually impressed Viggo, he was a little flustered. He hoped that wasn’t heat rising in his cheeks.

Viggo stood. “How about another game sometime when it isn’t so late.” He glanced at the watch he wore on his left wrist, which indicated that he was probably left handed. “My goodness, it’s past 11. I do hope you don’t have an 8 am.”

Hiccup shook his head, began to gather up the pieces. “My first class is at 11:30.”

“Good. You’ll have time to rest. So, what do you say to my house?” Viggo asked. He was taking a pad and a pen out of his pocket, writing down an address. “Seven o’clock?”

Hiccup was definitely flustered now, and that was definitely heat in his cheeks. He stood and wiped his hand on his jeans before taking the slip that Viggo offered him.

“O-of course. Thank you.”

“Well, it was lovely meeting you, Hiccup.” Viggo held out his hand to shake, and Hiccup took it with the hand he’d hopefully dried of sweat. His grip was warm and firm. 

Viggo released his hand, then nodded to Fishlegs, and walked away, going to clear up some boards that students had left out. Hiccup took a deep, shuddering breath, sticking the slip in his pocket.

“So, what do you think of him?” Fishlegs asked quietly as they put their board away. 

“I think he’s brilliant.”

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Scholars pet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22722676) by [Lyallwolfart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyallwolfart/pseuds/Lyallwolfart)




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